With the growth of eCommerce, it’s no surprise that more businesses are incorporating it into their operations. In fact, a recent report revealed that half of Americans now transact with retailers using the internet. Thanks to the convenience of online shopping and the easy-to-access information it provides, eCommerce has become an increasingly popular way to sell your products.
But while many small businesses might think they can outsource accounting for this service, you actually need to do it yourself in order to fully understand your business and track its financial performance over time. This thorough guide will help you get started with accounting for eCommerce so you can keep up with your operations and plan for future growth accordingly.
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Why bookkeeping & accounting are important for eCommerce
Without proper bookkeeping, you might end up with inaccurate information about your business. This can lead to mismanagement of your finances and an over-reliance on technology to make decisions that should be made by humans. Additionally, without accounting for eCommerce, you might not be able to calculate the true cost of goods sold or the amount of revenue your business generates.
These two numbers are important because they help you determine how much money you need to remit to the government and evaluate profit margins. Finally, failing to properly account for eCommerce could lead to a loss in taxes because it could be very difficult for a small business owner to find out which income is taxable and which is not.
Choosing an eCommerce cloud accounting solution
With eCommerce, there are many factors to consider, but one of the most important decisions you’ll need to make is choosing an eCommerce accounting software solution. When looking for an accounting system, you’ll want to find a cloud-based system that will give you the data you need in a format that’s easy to understand and navigate. You should also take into account how flexible and customizable your accounting system needs to be.
Some small businesses might not need specific features like inventory management or payroll integration, but many do have these needs or may need them in the future. Additionally, it’s important to look at how much time your business can dedicate to using the service regularly and ensure that it fits within your budget.
Cash flow forecasting tips for eCommerce
When you first start your eCommerce business, you should be sure to have a budget that accounts for all of the expenses and revenue streams. That way, you can figure out whether or not you’re getting a return on your investment and ensure that you have enough cash flow to stay afloat. Here are some tips for forecasting your cash flow: -Estimate how much time it will take to get paid. -Determine how many days it will take to collect money from customers. -Figure out what percentage of your inventory turns over each month. This is an important ratio because it helps you figure out how effectively you’re converting sales into profit.
How to finance inventory purchases
One of the most important aspects of eCommerce accounting is figuring out how to finance inventory purchases. Because your business is likely selling a variety of products, this might be a challenging task. But by tracking your inventory and setting up a plan for reordering items throughout the year, you can ensure that your business will be able to sustain its operations. The best way to manage your inventory is to use the perpetual inventory system which allows you to track levels of inventory accurately over time.
As part of planning for future growth, it’s also important that you take into account what capacity will be required in order to handle customer demand. If you plan on adding additional products or services in the near future, you’ll need to ensure that there is enough space available in your warehouse and that production downtime isn’t too long so your company doesn’t lose revenue during these periods.
These are just two examples of how you can finance inventory purchases on an eCommerce website. There are many different ways to address this issue; however, it’s crucial that you figure out how these finances work before launching a new eCommerce website.
